Rafting Rushing down a river with nothing but a rubber tire to protect you? Count me in. The best place to try rafting is Lower Salt River near Mesa, Arizona where they will rent you a raft to go down the river. Or try seesouthwest.com for more ideas on places to get wet.

Hike Picacho Peak Picacho Peak is the site of Arizona’s only Civil War Battle, and even a partial climb is worth the effort with spectacular views from every side of the Peak. Go before dusk and witness Arizona’s beautiful sunset. If you’re into wargames, go in March and witness a reenactment of the Battle of Picacho Pass.

Try Geocaching In Pheonix alone there are around 1800 Geocaching sites for you to discover. Geocaching is a game played by adventure seekers all over the world. You use a GPS receiver to locate hidden containers called Geocaches and then log your finds and share your experiences online with the rest of the Geocaching community

See the Grand Canyon. Ever wondered what it would feel like to look 4,000 straight down with nothing below your feet without falling? The Grand Canyon Skywalk projects 70 feet out over the canyon, and has a glass bottom allowing you to view the near vertical walls and offers a perfect view 4,000 feet straight down towards the Colorado River.

Find Curly’s Gold Panning for gold isn’t just about finding gold, it’s an entire experience. I went goldpanning with my parents as a kid and its something that has stuck with me for a long, long time. Probably because crocodiles were involved. However, it’s not as easy to find gold nowadays as it was during the gold rush, but it sure would be an awesome story to tell the grandkids. The Bradshaw mine is a great place to start.

Find a real live cowboy

No symbol or legend is as powerful as that of the South West cowboy. The cowboy is the quintessential American hero; the embodiment of rugged individualism and independence. Being from an Australian city, we don’t really have cowboys in the traditional sense, so get out there and seek out and close with a real American cowboy. You’re sure to find one in Arizona.

I wish I’d known about all these fun things to do in Arizona before I went! Luckily you can plan your trip better than I did.

Grand Canyon http://www.flickr.com/photos/mandj98/ / CC BY-NC 2.0 rafting http://www.flickr.com/photos/7202153@N03/ / CC BY-NC 2.0

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Now that you’ve had your fill of kickboxing and cage fighting its time to chillax and check out the extreme watersports offered in the beautiful Philippines.

June-August – Philippines
The Philippines is made up of 7000 gorgeous tropical islands. Unlike Bangkok, Manilla is definitely missable. Filipinos are reputably very hospitable, and English is one of 2 official national languages. While you won’t find the great discounts found in Thailand or other parts of South East Asia, the ease of travelling will more than make up for it.

Where to go:
With 7000 tropical islands, you will never be short on beaches in the Philippines. My recommendation is Camarines Sur, located on the island of Luzon. Stunning beaches, surfing, jungles, wildlife, festivals, and best of all, Camarines Wakeboarding. CWC is the best water park in the world, and hands down the cheapest.

You can learn to wakeboard here in the footsteps of world champions, or just take advantage of the other areas of the water parks in the area. Completely off the typical tourist path, no one visits Camarines Sur unless they are coming for the wakeboarding. The Camarines are chalk full of gorgeous waterfalls, beaches, mountains and best of all, CWC Water Park.

Where to stay:
Accommodation at CWC starts at around $16/night. Negotiate with them directly for long term discounts. Cheaper accommodation can be found way from the park but factor in transport costs.
The Department of Tourism has a Home stay Program that offers visitors the comfort of modest homes and an insight into Philippine life. For information, contact the Tourist Information Centre at Room 106, Department of Tourism Building, tel. nos. 524-2384 / 524-1703.

Getting there:
From Manila, Cebu Pacific and Air Philippines fly at least once per day (55 mins) to Naga Airport (actually in Pili about 10kms East of Naga)

Getting around:
Jeepneys are abundant everywhere and work like a dodgy local bus. Tricycles are similar to the cyclos or rickshaws of Vietnam and run at about the same prices. If you want to travel under your own speed, hire or buy a bicycle. Scooters are also available for rent from CWC.

What to do:
Besides the white sand beaches with clear turquoise waters, national parks, limestone caves and volcanos for you to explore, there is, of course, the world famous Camsur Watersports Complex.

Known as the best cable park in the world, it is also the most affordable with rates from 185 pesos (around $4USD). For your money you get free use of entry level equipment as well as the skate park, volleyball court, swimming pool, and the elevated spectator area for watching the many champion wake boarders who visit on a regular basis.

When you get bored of wakeboarding, there is the Lago Del Rey Watersports facility. With giant waterslides, aqua wall climbing, water polo, kayaking, etc etc etc. Lago Del Rey was built to balance the cable park’s extreme sports forte, with water-oriented sports and entertainment for children.

When you’re done with water and nature calls there are plenty of nature trails for hiking or mountain biking through the jungles, or you could just hit the awesome skate park located at CWC.

At the end of the day when you’re famished and looking for food be sure to check out the local specialities. The region is known for its fiery, chilli based dished.

Join in for part 3 of the Endless Summer Series : Australia

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Post tags: Adrenaline Junkies, adventure, beach, endless summer, extreme sports, phillippines, travel, wakeboard, wakeboarding

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The sound of waves crashing on golden shores, your tan deepening every day, learning to surf the salty waves, checking out the talent on foreign beaches… What more could you want from a mini retirement? How about 12 action packed months checking out some extreme sports in some of the sexiest locations on earth?

Forget lying on beaches. Take an adrenaline filled, adventure seeking round the world mini-retirement, perfect your mad skillz in places you would have never expected and take in some of the world’s best beaches, extreme sports and adventure activities, all in one supreme trip.

This is your first stop on a 12 month, 4 stop journey.

Thailand

The saying goes that “one night in Bangkok and the world’s your oyster”, there are literally millions of different experiences to be had in Thailand. From the chilled out tribes of the North to the stunning beaches in the South you are sure to find what you are looking for.

Where to go:

For the best of Thailand, head directly to Phuket. The island of Phuket is located a short 2 hour flight south of the capital, Bangkok. Home to the notorious party town of Patong, Phuket is surrounded by stunning beaches (obviously). While the surfing isn’t world class, you will be able to catch a few waves off the western beaches like Kata.

Where to stay:

By going in March you can avoid the high season and be able to take advantage of discounted room rates. Stay in a place for a couple of nights before asking for a long term discount. Around Kata beach you should be able to find a serviced studio apartment for less than 15,000 baht/ month.

Getting around:

The easiest way to get around the island is to hire a motorbike from your guest house, these usually run around 3500 baht/ month. A car can also be rented for about 10,000 baht/month. If you like public transport there are tuk tuks and local buses starting from 20baht per trip.

What to do:

Days can be lost in Patong, due to the abundance to lady boys willing to take your money and the free flowing cocktails at discount prices. Literally anything you want can be found in Patong.

If you like western style nightclubs try hollywood patong

Thais are great musicians so if you like hard rock check out rock city with its giant King Kong stage featuring the best rock cover bands from AC/DC to The Rolling Stones.

For more active pursuit you could Train in Muay Thai kickboxing and Mixed Martial Arts at Tiger Muay Thai. Speak to the instructors and put effort into your training and you could have your first pro fight within 3 months. If you’re not game to fight professionally, there are monthly smoker fights where you will be pitted against other students at the camp. A great way to test your skills after a few months of training.
(NSFW – swearing)
Phuket has great diving and a plethora of dive schools will happily show you how with internationally qualified instructors. Wicked Diving offers livaboards and overnight adventures to the Similian islands.

For those who like to party and lie on beaches, Koh Phangang is just a few hours travel away, and the beaches are absolutely gorgeous. World Famous Full moon parties occur once a month, with dark moon parties in between.

If you do happen to be in Thailand for Songram festival, Patong is definitely the place to be. The entire town erupts into one giant waterfight for 2 days. You will not leave the house without getting drenched, so bring your water guns!

If kickboxing, cage fighting and the beaches arent your thing, phuket also offers wakeboarding, bungee jumping, dune buggies and hiking to your delight.

Coming soon… the Phillines, land of unspoilt beaches and world class wakeboarding…

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Post tags: Adrenaline Junkies, adventure, beach, endless summer, extreme sports, MMA, Muay Thai, thailand, travel, wakeboarding

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Wrong.

There are more jobs in travel than most of us would ever consider.

1) Work in a bar

Surprisingly, this is more common than most people think. Especially in South East Asia. Most of the bars are run specifically for expats, often co-owned by expats, and guess what? The managers are expats and travellers too. Make sure you have plenty of bar or waiting experience before you go and remember to talk it up.

2) Teach something other than English.

You could be teaching Arabic in Vietnam, Yoga in Thailand or Snowboarding in Canada. The options for this are endless. Tap into what you already have and make it into a shareable skill.

3) Sell something

Every country on Earth has its niche; they have things that are made that can’t be bought anywhere else on earth. If you’re the entrepreneurial type, find someone back home who wants to import, charge them a fee to do their spotting and send the items to them. On the other hand you could set up an online store or sell via Ebay.

4) Train others

In Asia especially, they seek out people who have vocational skills that can be taught in a college setting. If you have experience as a barista and a Workplace Trainers certificate you could be earning big bucks teaching coffee making skills in Shanghai.

5) Pick something

Agriculture is one of those industries that always needs willing workers. The pay won’t be great, but then, who else do you know who has picked strawberries in Australia or grapes in France?

6) Use your imagination

With a little bit of imagination, you can do whatever you did at home in your new country, or something even more exciting. Look at what is going on around you, listen to what travellers are complaining that they can’t get, and give it to them at a price. You’ll find that with a little leg work you can get whatever is needed.

7) Keep your ears open

With a little bit of imagination, you can do whatever you did at home in your new country, or something even more exciting. Look at what is going on around you, listen to what travellers are complaining that they can’t get, and give it to them at a price. You’ll find that with a little leg work you can get whatever is needed.

Over the course of many international adventures I’ve had some strange jobs offered to me. From property manager to finance broker in Vietnam through to publishing assistant in Thailand. There are jobs out there, don’t feel restricted to teaching English wherever you go. Chances are, you can do the same job you did at home, or a variation of it,  in any country you happen to find yourself  in.

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When we think of adventurous people we often think of those who push their bodies to the limits climbing Everest or running in arduous adventure races.

An adventurer is someone who bases their life around adventurous acts, constantly seeking out new and interesting things to do with their time. Adventures create a psychological arousal, be it a fear or flow response, either way, your heart is beating faster.

To pursue adventure means wanting to step outside of your comfort zone. To decide to move away from the comfort of your life and push yourself to discover new things, about the world and about yourself.

Adventure travel is more than going to the far wilds of Mongolia to hike 100 miles up a snow covered mountain in search of the fountain of youth. Adventure travel encompasses everything from cycling around a new town to caving, sky diving or BASE jumping off the tallest building in the world. It is travelling to a distant location, immersing yourself in different cultures or undertaking some sort of physical activity. Travelling to a faraway land to watch TV from your 5 star hotel is definitely not classified as adventure travel, but if you wander out of your hotel and lose your guide book, end up on the wrong side of town and have to bargain you way out of your jail… That is definitely an adventure!

Adventure means finding new places, stepping outside the beaten path, looking up from your guidebook and discovering a place that has never been written about.

Adventure travel is a physical pursuit, a cultural experience or engaging with nature. Take this to mean a hike through the Amazon, immersing yourself in the culture of South East Asia or Volunteering to save wild cats in South America.

What is an adventure to one person is not an adventure to another.

The prospect of going to a foreign country and learning a new language, discovering the nuance of a new city or taking on a new sport are all worthy adventures.

To some, travelling in itself is enough of an adventure. To others, travelling solo is the height of adventure. Then there are those to whom travelling solo to an unknown land with only the clothes on their back is just the start of the crazy adventure they want to experience.

While a hardcore adventurer might want to spend their weekend jumping out of planes or battling white water rapids, there are more than a few ways to get your heart beating that don’t involve risking life and limb .

Would you prefer to spend your weekend shopping or pursuing new ways to make your heart race?

Your amazing travel adventure could be navigating the shopping districts of Tokyo, Paris or New York.

There are so many adventures and so little time. What is your adventure? What does your heart yearn for? Pick one and make it happen. Your life will be better for it.

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Teaching English is an exciting way to see the world and get paid for it. The hours are generally low and most English Teachers are content and live comfortable lifestyles.

You could be on a plane within 6 weeks of reading this, with an overseas job guarantee.

If you are a native English speaker, and willing to undertake a certificate in Teaching English you will be able to find work teaching English.

Why Teach English?

• Learn another Language. You can spend a full year (or more) immersed in the language of your choice. You could live in a South American country and improve your Spanish.
• pay off your debts. You can save  a mint teaching in places like Korea, Japan and the Middle East. In Vietnam I earn (on an hourly rate) up to twice as much as I do back home, and my living expenses are almost halved. In some countries, however, teaching English will only pay your basic expenses (like Thailand for example) However, it is usually a matter of taking a few extra private classes to bump up your salary.
• Live Overseas My main reasons for moving to Vietnam, was to Teach English and to live overseas. The cultural experiences and adventures you have by leaving your home country are an amazing bonus and incredible life stories to tell
• Fund your travels You can spend 3months to 3 years in any one location teaching English in various locations. There are opportunities at public and private schools as well as private (one on one) lessons
• You want to fall in love, stay in love or follow your friends overseas. You’re significant other is offered a 2 year contract with an international firm in Shanghai, but you’re not offered a position? You could make a living in China (or just about any other country) teaching English.
• Retirement Teaching English is not a domain of the young. In fact, most teachers are of the mature variety. There are no age limits so if you are willing and able you could be overseas in 6 weeks, teaching English in the country of your dreams.
• Gap Year You’ve just finished High School and you’re about to go to College or University but you want to take a year off to travel. By teaching English you will be able to have assimilate with the locals in your new home and live the lifestyle that most travellers will never see.
• No Idea Still haven’t chosen your career? Teaching English can be a 1 year break or your profession for life. There is no age limit, and you can learn on the job or take professional development. There are career progression opportunities and you could eventually find yourself running your own school.

What its like

I work for a language “chain” school, on a part time basis, in Vietnam. Usually I can have as many hours as I want, and the pay is higher than my wage back home on a per hourly basis. When I first arrived I thought I would teach English primarily to adults, but, it was not to be! I now find myself teaching Young Learners, from kindy through to High School and I love it! Children are a mixed bag (if you pardon the expression) but if you can learn the herding techniques, it becomes fun! I am now teaching private classes for groups of 6-9 year olds and having a blast.

Conditions & Benefits Here in Vietnam, a full time teaching is usually offered a full time teaching week of 20 contact hours. They recieve paid leave, 2 days off per week, end of contract bonuses ,reimbursment of part of their training costs, and flights allowances.
Qualifications

In some countries no qualification is needed. However, it is always better to have a teaching certificate. The most common and most respected is the Cambridge CELTA. This course runs for one month and can be taken in most countries. It is a super intensive course so brush up on your grammar and study skills before you go!

While a degree is requested at many schools it is not always a prerequisite. If you havent finished your degree, apply for the jobs anyway. Some schools will accept you without it, but there are occasional visa hassles (Japan is one country that requires a Bachelors degree for a working visa).

How to get started

Check out i-to-i Travel for an online TEFL course! For best results do a 120 hour teaching course such as the Cambridge CELTA or Trinity TESOL.

More resources…

i-to-i Travel

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Aaahh the joy of travelling. This is the short list of things that I never travel without, part one, because there are quite a few.

As you can see, I’m not much for travelling light. I like to be in contact and know whats going on at home. I want my creature comforts… within reason.

Ipod

I admit it, its true. I am one of “those” travellers who always has an ipod on me. I bought Dawn many years ago, the battery ran dead and has been replaced, so Dawn has many scratches and nicks, she’s been dropped more times than i care to admit but she’s still going. Filled to bursting with Dylan, Punk Rock and Miley Cyrus (I kid you not). I found a pair of Sony headphones on a necklace type lanyard which keeps itaround my neck and I usually put the ipod under my jacket so it can’t be ripped off by wandering hands.

Mobile phone

I have a phone with me now that i bought in 2001. I remember it well, the first time i bought a ‘nice’ phone. It was the smallest at the time, strangely, phones got bigger for a while, and suddenly they are heavier…. So now my 7 year old phone is just as good as any other phone as far as i can figure. If it gets stolen I will be most upset because we have history. I’d rather my old brick phone than a new phone. How upset will you be if your new iphone gets lifted, or if your crackberry goes swimming in the toilet? Take a cheap phone with you!

For international travel your phone must be compatible – i think its called tri-band? Either way, you can pick up a phone for under $100 pretty much anywhere. Make sure you aren’t locked onto a network before you leave home, and buy a sim card when you land.

In Vietnam, my sim card was around $8, included $10 of credit, and it usually lasts about 3 weeks, depending on how often i call Australia.

Running shoes

Okay, I don’t run half as often as I should, but i always take some sort of sports shoe, even if its just for walking. I randomly joined a touch football team here and these came in very useful.

If you are the running/walking/drinking type, you will need a pair of shoes for Hashing! Hash House Harriers run in just about every city on earth and its probably the quickest way to make new friends. All you need is a pair of shoes and a mouth for drinking.

Laptop

Lets be real here. I’m no flashpacker. I don’t travel with wads of cash, and i avoid backpacker hotspots as I would avoid leper colonies. I listen to punk rock for Gods sake!

But i absolutely can’t travel without my Laptop. Not just because I blog and what not.. But… how else do you stay in touch with the world?  In many countries it is almost impossible to get news from home without a laptop (unless you love CNN).

Your laptop must be fitted out with some usefull applications and programs though. The short list is:


Stay in touch with home, chat, call home for free and make cheap international calls with Skype
- what could be better? I use Skype pretty much every time I am connected to the internet.

Bloglines or Google Reader

For the all important Internet Stalking of your friends blogs… um, i mean, reading the news and staying up to date with stuff!

You can pick up most of the things on this list from the new, shiny, wonderful The Pursuit of Adventure Amazon Store. Check it out!

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Post tags: hanoi, Stories from the road, Tips & Ideas, travel, travel advice, travelling, Vietnam

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I close my eyes and take a deep breath, allowing the soft perfume to wash over me.

I step over the threshold and I’m in Macys, Myers or David Jones. This Vietnamese department store has every perfume on hand. For $100 I could smell like J.Lo.

The bright lights attracted me in off the street. Here past the Casio watches and the diamond rings is a tiny perfume lover’s utopia.

I walk slowly down the aisle, admiring the beautiful bottles neatly lined up behind the shiny glass. A colour catches my eye and I’m walking possessed. My eyes glaze over a little as I pick up the delicate eye shadow case and flip open the lid. Sparkly pinks, greens and blues stare back at me… ‘Buy us’ they say ‘buy us and we will make you happy’. Its retail guilt at its most enticing.

I can’t. I have to move house tomorrow. I snap the lid shut on the tantalising colours and push them to the back of my mind. I must be strong. I must resist temptation. I will not be seduced today.

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The music is thumping, the dance floor is packed… fly boys and girls gyrate skilfully to the hip hop beats from the imported DJ’s in the corner.

My mouth hits the floor. Two minutes ago I was sharing a motorbike with 2 of my friends, dodging the holes in the roads and precisely avoiding the melee of bikes, taxis and buses. The sole of my right high heel has melted through from having my foot on the muffler. And now, here on the 20th floor of the Sofitel plaza, we have found a modern utopia overlooking the antiquated city of Hanoi, and now we are in a modern, polished, 4 star hotel. We could be anywhere in the world right now.

I struggle my way to the bar but my hips can’t help but sway to the music. I notice more than one man noticing me. For once I am dressed for the night with a designer dress and push up to enhance what my momma gave me.

At the bar I wait patiently. Everyone seems to be getting served, and it’s a western bar, right? Wrong. 10 minutes passes. Getting agitated now. I call out to the girl behind the bar and order a cocktail. Mojito. With berries.

Another 10 minutes go by. I order again, from another bartender. He asks me to pay in advance, and I tell him I won’t pay until I have my drink.

A Britney spears song comes on, mixed up with some ghetto gangster and my attention is taken from the bar and I join my friends for a dance. Some other women are dancing around, my friend is busting out some serious moves that involve her being given a clear berth while she impresses.

Eventually I find my way back to the bar. I ask for the drink… again, and it magically appears. A purplish concoction with mint leaves floating around. This is most expensive and weakest drink in the history of Hanoi. Must remember to write a bad review.

I take my drink and try to find some air. All the bars here get hot and smokey to the point that breathing becomes difficult. The view from the 20th floor is worth withstanding the average drinks. 180 degree views over a stunning lake, the full moon high in the sky and nary a backpacker in sight.

I find a comfortable arm chair and sit back, taking in the sights. This city can be so romantic at times it’s almost like nothing bad ever happens here.

I barely notice the young man who comes and sits next to me. Fine-looking, in the way only a man in his early 20’s can be. All the innocence of his age mixed with the experience of a world traveller. A well cut suit, pressed shirt and no tie. Top button open to reveal a hair free chest. He speaks with a heavy French accent which makes him sound more sophisticated than he probably is. He is very charming. They always are.

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Post tags: dancing, hanoi, sofitel, stories, suave, travel, travelling, Vietnam

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I am sitting in class, our tutor is trying to explain the nuance of “used” so that, in future, we can explain how to use “used” to our students.

The windows are slightly fogged. Our brains are slowly turning into stew. It’s not that the material is hard its that… well… I’ve never had to worry about using “used” before.

She used to be a bitch. The only sentence I can think of. Does this mean she was a bitch, and no longer continues? I don’t know. It means, in the past, she had a habit of being a bitch, but she no longer does. Oh, I see.

I stay quiet. Better to be thought a fool than to open your mouth and remove all doubt.

My first 40 minute lesson was this morning. I don’t know if the students learnt anything, but they had fun. What did I learn?

Stay CALM, don’t talk so fast I thought I WAS speaking s-l-o-w-l-y. Speak naturally, not too slow. Give instructions, and then ask a checking question to make sure that the students know what to do. Don’t get angry. Whatever you do Don’t Swear (oops)

I miss riding my bike. The course is at such intensity that everything else falls aside. Today is Wednesday, my first evening to myself, but I do have homework… but not due until Friday for my next lesson.

“Zoe, are you listening”

“uhhhhh… yeah?”

“Give an example of the present perfect”

I bat my eyelashes and stick out my lower lip.

“I am pouting?”

He leaves me alone, I’m too loud, too easily excited. Find most of the work relatively easy. If only I was quieter. I sit on my hands and bite my lip so as not to answer too many questions. Being gray is not my thing.

Five pm rolls around. An early mark, no homework due tomorrow. My free night!

15 mins later I roll my motorbike out onto the street, to the bemused glances from the locals. They still seem surprised to see a foreign girl with a moto and no man in tow. Here, I am an anomaly.

My bike is red, and handles like a dream, except for one thing. The stalling. Pulling into the traffic, she stalls. Then again at the lights, I can hear the chorus of honking behind me as it takes a few seconds to get going again. I drive up the street with a thousand other bikes my confidence is growing as I manoeuvre into prime position to get around the corner fastest, whilst avoiding the buses and bicycles, and pedestrians.

Two right turns later I am at JoJo’s Bar. This is a funky, western run bar seats around 30, sells everything at Aussie prices, and has a great feel. My wine is $7 USD. Probably more than I would pay at home for house, but its a welcome respite from hectic Vietnam. Here on this couch, i could be anywhere in the world. Buble is on the stereo, there is no one around. I cosy myself into the corner bar and kick off my shoes, fold my feet underneath me and notice my skin sticking to the pleather. It could be leather. I wouldn’t know the difference anyways.

The staff have lit candles, making the whole bar seem very romantic. I know the manager, but it’s not like that. In fact, I’m not even sure he knows that I am female.

The romantic feel highlights that I am just one of many single white females in Hanoi.

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Post tags: CELTA, English Teaching, Reviews & Gadgets, TEFL, TESOL, travel

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